Northern Lights
by The Jasper Fox
Summary: My inturaption of how Balto's heroic deed to safe the children of Nome, has a profund influnace on the rest of his life. Story is better than the summary, let's on.
1. The noble spirit of the sled dog

**I can still remember the first time that I saw this movie as a kid even though it wasn't until later on in my life, that I realized what a profound impact it had upon me and its ending still gets me choked up to this very day. Its funny some of the things in this world, which take us back into memories we think that we have long forgotten but trust me when I say there still with you, there just buried beneath the new ones, all you have to do is be welling to dig for them. Well that's enough about the deep connection that I feel toward this great movie and if you haven't had the opportunity to see it yet, I strongly recommended that you track it down and watch it. If you aren't on the verge of tears by the end, than you must already be dead on the inside because it's inspired by an incredible true story, which is bound to touch upon your heart strings. However that doesn't mean that you have to have seen the movie to enjoy reading this fic but it sort of dose help one understand the history that there is between its canine characters and how that relationship has changed from what it was before, to what it is my fic. As usual I always welcome all opinions, so please R&R **

**Disclaimer; I don't own any of the characters or film rights to this movie **

**Northern Lights **

**Chapter One, **

**The noble and indelible spirit of the Husky **

With the thundering crash of the collapsing ice cave still ringing in his ears, Balto courageously led the dog team in to the blinding snow and ice of an arctic blizzard; a storm of such historic proportions that it would later by recorded as the worst blizzard to hit the area in over a century. After all the dangers they had already endured to safely deliver the desperately needed diphtheria anti-toxin to Nome, a lesser lead dog might have stopped to give the team a brief rest to recuperate there strength but not him. The wolf-dog was determined to see the life saving serum through to the end even if it meant losing a paw or two to frost-bite, than at least Rosy and the rest of the children would be saved from an early grave and their parents from countless years of grief. Every step forward caused pain to shot through his body yet Balto ventured onward as if nothing was wrong with him, setting a furious pace that have exhausted even the most seasoned of Nome's sled dogs.

Crashing through a particularly high snow bank, Balto saw a dark shadow in the distance. As they drew nearer, the dark shadow dissolved in to the clearly defined town of Nome illuminated from behind by the dancing northern lights. Remembering that Jenna was the only one he had shown them to, Balto just knew that she must of heard of there plight and braved the bitterly cold weather to arrange the broken bottles from under the hospital on the hill that hill overlooked Nome. Lousing a howl, Balto reached for the last dregs of his strength and ran faster than he had in his entire life. Heralded by Balto's howl, the previously hopeless residence and dogs of Nome poured out of their homes and lined either side of the main street. A thunderous cheer rent the air as the lost sled team emerged from the storm like spectres from one of the tales of old.

Slowing the dog team to a stop directly in front of the quarantined hospital, Balto and the others were swarmed by the joyous townspeople. As the Doctor and Rosy's father carried the unconscious musher into the hospital to tend to his injures, another of Nome's residences took the leather harnesses off the sled team starting with Balto. Looking around the crowd as the strips of his leather harness were lifted off him, Balto was surprised that none of them inquired why he was leading the team when the sled had left Nome with Steele at its head.

Once free of his harness, a few moments later, Balto found himself on the receiving end of thankful pats from the grateful parents who had children that were afflicted with the deadly diphtheria virus. Hearing his name being called far above his head, Balto looked up and saw Boris descending toward him. Wrapping his wings around Balto's neck, the Russian snow goose praised him for his awe inspiring adventure and achievement. A few minutes later, the fluffy polar bear cubs Muk and Luk burst from the crowd and sandwiched Balto and Boris between them, engulfing the other two in a loving hug; as the group toppled to the ground, relief reflected in all of there eyes.

Extracting himself from the bottom pile, a few moments later, Balto watched as Rosy's father motioned for him to come inside. Looking back over his shoulder at Boris, who insisted that he should go with the flick of his wings, Balto felt a rush of excitement and happily followed Rosy's father in to the hospital. A mixture of relief and admiration shone in Jenna's eyes as she beheld Balto for the first time since he had ordered Boris to make sure Muk and Luk got her home safely while he soldiered on alone undeterred by the worsening weather. Affectionately nuzzling Balto, a few moments later, Jenna let her actions convey just how much she had missed him, unwittingly revealing the true depth of the feelings she had felt for him all her life.

"Balto, you did it," Jenna said joyously, relishing the feel of his scruffy fur as it rubbed against her combed one, "Thanks to you, Rosy and the children of Nome will be safe."

"I had a promise to keep," Balto answered back softly, retuning Jenna's affectionate actions with some of his own, "I hope that climb up the hill did not re-injure your paw, Jenna."

"It's nothing that a few more days of rest wouldn't heal," Jenna said holding her head against the side of her scruffy loves neck, deeply breathing in his musky sent, "But we can talk about that later, what you need now is rest, my love. After what you just did, you have more than earned it."

"I think your right, Jenna," Balto said suddenly aware of just how tired he actually was, began to feel asleep on his paws after two days of running at top speed through the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness without stopping to rest because it meant certain death for the towns children.

Deeply breathing in Jenna's sent of fresh pine needles, which reminded him of spring hunts in the forest not far from Nome, the hybrid husky closed his eyes and unable to resist its gentle lulu any longer began to slid down her right flank; giving in to sleep as he went. Landing with a muffled thud upon the wood planked floor of the patient ward, moments later, Balto was sound asleep. Smiling warmly as she looked down at her beloved, Jenna gentled pulled Balto over to the foot of Rosy's bed by the scruff of his neck before cuddling against him. Lovingly laying her head across Balto's shoulders and wrapping her tail around him, a few moments later, Jenna closed her eyes and let sleep wash over her.

**For those of you whom have read any of my other fan fic's, I know this first chapter is a little on the short side compared to them but remember that's it only the first chapter. Plz R&R **


	2. Uncertain future

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or film rights to Balto. **

**Chapter Two,**

**Uncertain future **

When Jenna woke up the following morning, the hospital was a buzz of activity. Instinctively nudging Balto with her snout to wake him, so that the two of them could find a corner where they wouldn't be in the way as the doctor made his rounds to check on the progress of the ant-toxin. When he did not first stir, Jenna just figured Balto was a heavy sleeper so she nudged him as hard as she could but when even that did not wake him, she began to wine loudly deeply concerned that something might be seriously wrong with her hero. The auburn and white purebred worried wine was quickly noticed by the doctor, who just happened to be checking the little boy in the bed to the right of the Rosy's and immediately stopping what his was doing came over to see what was wrong.

Watching the doctor as he began to examine Balto, Jenna saw concern flash across his face when the black and gray hybrid she dearly loved suddenly pulled his paw out of the doctors hands grimacing as he did so. Afraid that the doctor might have inadvertently done more harm than good, Jenna quickly stepped in-between the two of them and gently tucked Balto's paw back under his head before draping her tail over Balto's shoulders, not daring to take her eyes of the doctor as he turned his head to look over his shoulder and told the nurse, who was checking the temperature of a dark haired little girl on the other side of the room, to go get the vet quickly. Quickly recording the child's temperature on the clipboard in her hands, the nurse pulled her jacket on over her apron and ran down the street to the vet's office. As the door closed behind her, Jenna walked around to the backside of Balto and laid herself across his body, hoping that it was merely exhaustion and not something that was more serious.

A short time later, the sound of heavy boots heralded the arrival of the town's kind faced vet. Looking up at the vet as he knelt above the sides of the town unlikely savours prone form, Jenna was reluctant to climb off her beloved but seeing the genuine concern in the depths of his eyes, Jenna slowly climbed off Balto. Sitting off to the side, Jenna pawed the worn floorboards anxiously, her claws cutting deep gouges in to the planks as she watched the vet examine Balto to determine what plaguing him. Partially standing as vet stood up, a short time later, Jenna saw him motion for the doctor to join him in the hallway. More worried now than she had been all that morning, Jenna followed the two men as they walked in the direction of the hallway. Sticking her already injured paw in-between the door jam and door as the vet closed it; Jenna resisted the urge to yelp as pain coursed through her body by focusing all her thoughts on the memories she had of her beloved and his selflessness to save a town whose residents had nothing but hatred for him. The view was not all that great but at least she could still hear what was being said and that was exactly what she wanted.

"So how is Balto, doc?" Jenna heard the voice of the doctor ask.

"He's a little thinner than he should be for his age and his paws show signs of minor frostbite but a part from those two things nothing else seems to be wrong with him, he should make a full recovery in a few days," the voice of the vet answered back, "I had just finished putting down food for Kaltag and the rest of the dogs on the sled team when Julia came bursting in and in a nearly breathless voice told me something was wrong with Balto. Out of all the dogs on the team his paws show the least amount of frostbite, another day out in that bitterly cold weather and Kaltag and the others would have last a paw maybe two. It will be a good week or more before I will feel comfortable enough to let them return to there homes."

'"Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for what Balto did for the town but what was he doing out there in the first place and where's Steele," the Doctor said, looking the vet squarely in the face.

"Personally I don't think Balto did it for Nome, I think he risked his life just so he could save Rosy and more importantly Jenna from the heart ache of losing her owner," the vet said briefly casting his eyes at the partial open door and the few strands of dark red fur that had caught his attention only moments before knowing that there was only one dog in all of Nome that had a coat that color; Jenna, "And I think she understands that, that's why she is acting like his mate. Hopefully Rosy's parents will see just how happy Balto makes her and adopt him because if they don't, I doubt it will stop Jenna from going out on her own and making sure that the two of them do indeed become mates. As for Steele, who really knows, maybe after the musher got knocked unconscious, he tried to make his way back here to get help and succumb to the bitter cold along his way."

"If Steele died as a result of the storm then how come Kaltag and the others survived and why was Balto able to weather it so easily?" asked the Doctor.

"Kaltag and the others probably huddled together to keep the musher's body warm, while Steele went to get help and got covered with snow waiting for him to return," Jenna heard the vet say in a matter of fact tone, "The only reason Balto weathered the storm so much easier than the rest of them is because he is part wolf and is more capable of enduring the wild blizzards that pass by here every year. While our dogs are safely sheltered from them inside own homes and the old boiler room, he probably doesn't have such as place to go when they come rolling in and likely sleeps out in the open. Now if you'd excuse me, I really should be getting back to the office before I do something that I would have to regret, later on. Good day to you, sir."

Hearing the sound of the vet's heavy boots walking toward the door, a few moments later, Jenna hurriedly limped back where Balto lay and nestled against him. Laying her head across her beloved's shoulders just as the door opened, Jenna watched as the vet walked toward the two them. Gently patting Balto in between his ears and in a voice just barely above a whisper told the auburn and white husky that if Rosy's parents did not want to adopt the town's saviour after what he just did, dispute the way that most of the Residents of Nome had treated him all his life, then he would be more than happy to give Balto the proper home that he had always deserved but never was given the opportunity to because of how he looked and told her that if that happened than she could come visit him when ever she liked. Relived that her beloved would have a warm place to sleep if Rosy's parents did not take Balto in, Jenna lifted her head from where it laid across his shoulders and licked the vet upon his cheek, making him laugh. After lightly scratching Jenna behind her left ear, the kind faced vet stood up and buttoning up the front of his jacket walked out of the hospital.

Laying her head back across Balto's shoulders, a few moments later, Jenna hoped that her beloved would wake up before one of Rosy's parents came and took her back home because she shuttered at the thought of having to leave his side especially in the current condition that he was in plus she wanted to be the first one Balto saw when he came to. Through out the rest of the day Jenna remained faithfully at Balto's side, only leaving it when her bodily functions demanded that she do so. Looking up at Rosy's parents when they came to visit their recovering daughter, later on that evening, Jenna would cast occasional glances up at them before burying her head back in to Balto's unkempt and scruffy fur, unsure if they planned on taking her home with them after visiting Rosy.

Gazing softly up at Rosy's parents when they stood up to leave, Jenna did her best to implore the needs of Balto other her or even their own. Seeing the concerned look on Jenna's muzzled face, Rosy's mother kneeled down in front of the auburn and white husky and told her to thank Balto for the two of them when he woke up and that he would be a welcome addition the family. Happily nuzzling the palm of Rosy's mother's right hand with her nose, excited by the wonderful turn of events, Jenna felt a warm fuzzy feeling envelop her. Standing up, a few moments later, Rosy's mother slipped her arm through that of her husband and together the two left the hospital.

Dim moonlight filtered through the hospitals curtained windows, when Jenna suddenly felt movement underneath her. Slowly lifting her head from where it lay across Balto's shoulders, the auburn and white husky felt a rush of excitement as she watched her beloved begin to lift his head off the planked hospital floor. Lovingly crossing her snout with his when Balto looked back over his right shoulder and saw her laying on top of him, Jenna began to affectionately nuzzle her beloved relived that he was finally awake.

"Oh, Balto you've had me worried sick all day," Jenna cooed softly, now rubbing her head over the right side of Balto's neck, guiltily enjoying the feel as there coats interwove together, "When I couldn't wake you this morning, I had to get doctors attention and they sent for the vet."

"I am sorry that I gave you cause to worry, Jenna," Balto answered apologetically back, enjoying the warmth and comfort that Jenna made erupt deep within him in addition to other more base urges that he knew he would have to cage before she noticed and possibly took offence, "I was just so tired, that my legs wouldn't support my weight any longer. It was a good thing that I had you the lean against for support or else I could have seriously injured myself."

"I am not at all surprised that you were so tired, my love," Jenna said lovingly placing her slender left forepaw over his far wider right one, "You, Boris, Muk and Luk had already been out in the wilderness for a day by the time I caught up with the four you and it's a good thing I did to because there was no way you could have handled that grizzle all by yourself, Balto."

"It was very brave of you to come looking for us and even braver still of you to help me fight off that grizzle," Balto said rubbing his snout against the right side of Jenna's neck tenderly, "Jenna, I never got the chance to ask you this before but what were you doing out there in the first place, surely Rosy would have been worried if she woke up and didn't see you there with your head resting peacefully upon her bed."

"The hospital staff kicked me out even though I dearly wanted to stay with Rosy, so I climbed up the wood pile that was stacked by Rosy's window and was just about to get settled for a long night of keeping my solemn vigil when I picked up your sent, Balto," Jenna honestly said, "Then I looked back over my shoulder and saw the tracks the four of you left behind as you walked away from Nome heading out in to the wilderness and decided that if your were helping then so should I and followed your tracks and markings until they lead my straight to you but in the end I wasn't that much of a help, was I."

"You were more of a help than you could ever possibly know, Jenna," Balto said reassuring leaning his head deep into the side of her neck, "Even if you had not injured you paw as a result of our encounter with that grizzle, I still would have told Boris to make sure Muk and Luk got you back to Nome safely because the forest is a dangerous place if you are not accustom to it twisting and turning paths and could easily find yourself lost if your are not carefully. That's the reason I marked my trail, so that I could easily find my way back after I located Steele and the others. Besides that I didn't want to see you get hurt, Jenna, you mean everything to me and I dearly wish that we could spent the rest of our lives together but I doubt that Rosy's parent's will ever see me as nothing more, than the wild animal that gave birth to me."

"Balto, I have cared about you ever since Rosy and I first found you huddled in the alley behind this very hospital," Jenna commented remembering the very first time she had picked up his unique sent as clearly as if it had happened only the day before, "You were so frightened of Rosy that I remember, that I had to coax you out of your hiding spot."

"Naturally, I was frightened of you and Rosy," Balto stated now affectionately nibbling Jenna upon her right ear, "Steele, Kaltag and Star always told me that no human or husky would ever want to know me because I looked more like a wolf than a dog and since I was just a young pup at the time, I believed his word to be the truth."

"Darling, you wouldn't even have your name if it wasn't for Rosy," Jenna lovingly reminded him, briefly closing her eyes at her beloveds playful actions while feeling new desires begin to awaken deep within her, "And I never would have had the wonderful opportunity to meet the dog, that I would one day long to call my mate."

"Jenna, you aren't quite old enough to produce puppies yet, are you?" Balto asked doing to his best to fight off the base urges of his body and losing the battle more with each passing second.

"I am still a few weeks away from being able to do that, Balto," Jenna answered softly overjoyed that he had the consideration of asking her permission in a way, instead of just listening to his base instincts and mounding her, like his body was clearing telling him to do judging by what she could she out of the corner of her eye every since the pair had started nuzzling that evening.

Intensely nuzzling as she crawled of her beloved hybrid, a few moments later, while the pair of canines simultaneous slowly slipped their legs beneath one another, they caved to the cardinal desires of there bodies; the two lovers unable to repel their base urges any longer. A soft growl of lust slipped form each ones snout, as Jenna felt Balto lightly walk both his forepaws up her back and he felt her supple silky smooth auburn fur gently embrace the tough leathery pads that graced their bottoms. Tucking her tail against the left side of her body, a second or two later, while she looked back over her right shoulder at the dog she loved with all of her heart, the auburn and white bitch nodded her head approvingly. Sweeping back her ears and briefly closing her bright love filled eyes as Balto began to mound her, less than a second later, Jenna turned her head forward once more and enjoyed the pure pleasure of the bond that they were committing to one another.

Licking Jenna affectionately upon the back of her neck, a little over an hour later, sensual satisfied Balto slowly slid his forepaws back and forth over her back, enjoying the feel of her fur as it rubbed against the pads of his paws. Guiltily enjoying the affectionate actions of her mate, as she felt another dose of his essence fill her, Jenna leaned her head back. Crossing snouts, a few moments later, the two dogs nuzzled one another lovingly, happily content with there actions and the bright future that lay before them. Breaking apart as he climbed off of her, a few moments later, the mated pair cuddled upon the wooden planks of the hospital floor. Snuggling even deeper into his flank as the auburn and white purebred female felt her hybrid mate lovingly rest his head across her shoulders, the two husky's deeply breathed in their combining scents and closing their eyes gave into the welcome arms of sleep.

Unbeknownst to the pair of them, there intimate interactions had been witnessed by the disgraced champion sled dog, Steele; who had ventured out of the safety of the old boiler room, now that the nasty weather had chased everyone back in to there homes and he could freely walk the streets without fear of being attacked by those he had once called friends. Scowling as he hoped down from the wood pile, a few moments later, Steele vowed that he would return one day to get revenge on the filthy half-breed, whom had not only turned all the dogs of Nome against him but had, at least in his mind, stolen his prized purebred bitch, right out from under him, as well. Grinning sadistically Steele turned in the direction of the wilderness that surrounded Nome and went in to hiding until the day came for him to seek his revenge.

Jenna was the first one, to wake the following morning and after a few gently nudges upon the side of his neck, roused her mate. After a brief bout of affectionate nuzzling, the sound of dog food being poured in to a bowl caught there attention and the two watched as one of the nurses kneeled down and placed two large bowls on the floor next to Rosy's bed side table. Waiting until after the nurse had walked back pass them and disappeared through the door that led in to the hallway, Balto and Jenna got to there paws and after giving there bodies a good shake, walked over to where the two bowls lay. Standing in front of the two bowls, a few moments later, Balto sat off to the side and let Jenna eat first. Eating and drinking until she was full, Jenna stepped away from the two bowls, ten minutes later, her hunger satisfied for the time being and laid back down at the foot of Rosy's bed. After filling his own growling stomach, Balto joined Jenna at the foot of Rosy's bed and laid his head and forelegs over her slender shoulders. Smiling warmly down at the cuddling pair as he made his rounds later one that morning, to see how the town's children were recovering even the doctor had to admit, that like most of the other residents of Nome, he might have been quick in his judgement Balto as well.

**I have been so busy working on chapters for my newer stories that I nearly forgot all about this one but I'll do my best to not let it slip so severely or go so long without an update in the future. Hopefully this update will make up for it, as soon as I have the next chapter done it shall be posted. As always I welcome all options, so please R&R. **


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